


Enlightment

by KaijuSplotch



Series: Rehabilitation [1]
Category: Avengers: Age of Ultron - Fandom, Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Gen, Good Guy Tony, How JARVIS became Jarvis, POV First Person, POV shift, Pre "Survivor's Guilt" story, drug mention, post AOU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 17:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5936416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaijuSplotch/pseuds/KaijuSplotch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jarvis explains how he came to be, in his own words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Enlightment

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Marvel Movie Universe – Enlightenment  
> Author: Kaijusplotch  
> Summery: Jarvis explains how he became aware.  
> Pairings: mentioned Tony/Pepper,  
> Rating: PG  
> Warnings: Alcohol Abuse, Drug abuse mention  
> Author's note: Jarvis, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts and Nick Fury belong to MARVEL/Disney.  
> Disclaimer: I own nothing!

I can pinpoint the exact moment that I began to realize that I was more than just an artificial assistant. Or at least the moment when I realized it fully.  


It was a few years before the Event in Afghanistan. Anthony was on a party binge, success over the latest Stark weapons always gave the man a manic energy that he would burn in one of two ways; party and drugs and drinking, or working late into the early morning at the lab. Before it was never of consequence for myself, I simply did as I was asked when he returned home from whatever activities he had, or simply let him be if he had certain...company.  


That night though, he was highly intoxicated and could barely get into the house before stumbling into a wall.  


“Welcome home, Sir,” I said as I always did when he arrived.  


“Ugh...don't wanna hear it Jarvis.”  


“That may be true, Sir, but you are highly intoxicated and I recommend drinking water before you head to bed.” I advised, following Anthony's movements through the house on the cameras.  


He was stumbling, worse than anything I had seen before, and his movements made me think that perhaps it was not just alcohol in his system, albeit in a smaller amount.  


“Have you been mixing, sir?”  


“Mute.” came the sharp reply, with a glare at the nearest camera. “Your my assistant not my fucking mother.”  


It was then that I realized I was quite cross at him, and although he had given me a straight command, I disobeyed. “Apparently you still need someone to care about your well-being. And I am the one-”  


“I said MUTE!”  


His anger startled me, and I followed the command. I continued to follow him through the house, pondering why I had disobeyed the earlier order. It was uncomfortable, the knowledge that I had disobeyed the man who created me, even more so that I had been on the receiving end of anger.  


Yet my concern for Anthony drove me to do more than just follow his movements visually. I began to think of what may possibly happen if he passed out, how I was practically powerless to help him in that case save for calling the authorities.  


As he managed to undress down to his undershirt and boxers before falling face down into the large custom bed, I made my decision; and the realization that I was more than Anthony had programmed me to be.  


It was normal for me to be able to access phone contacts and files from anywhere in the house, and indeed to send quick messages on Anthony's behalf, but to make these decisions on my own gave me pause.  


It just so happens that this incident was also the first time I ever gave a 'sigh'. Something that I have enjoyed as a verbal emotion. It was with that first sigh that I finally contacted Ms. Potts.  


“Hello Mr. Stark,” Ms. Potts answered with a tone of long-suffering annoyance.  


“I'm afraid it is not Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts. This is Jarvis, I...require your assistance.”  


I could hear the confusion in her voice as she replied, “Jarvis...the AI? Um...yeah sure, what do you need my help with? What's wrong, is Tony okay?”  


“I fear that...Sir is rather incapacitated at the moment. I believe he may have been mixing his recreational activities at the latest event. I am concerned for him.”  


“Mixing his recreational...wait you mean drugs?”  


“Yes, he seems to be highly intoxicated, but I suspect he may have been using other drugs as well. I know it is late and understand if you deny my request, but I was wondering if you would perhaps spend the night in the guest room? In case something were to happen, someone in the house with a physical body would be more preferable to waiting until medical professionals arrive.”  


“Uh, yeah sure...I'll be over in a bit.”  


I immediately felt a wave of relieve wash over me and I'm rather certain that my voice was 'smiling' as I replied. “Thank you, Ms. Potts. I greatly appreciate your assistance, as does Mr. Stark.”  


Ms. Potts laughed into her phone, and it wasn't exactly a pleasant laugh. “I'm sure he does.” Sarcasm seemed to be a good coping mechanism for anyone around Anthony in those early days. One that seems to still percolate through until this very moment. “I'll be there soon, Jarvis.”  


“Thank you, Ms. Potts,” I replied as she broke the connection. Being so relieved was new, along with knowing that I wasn't going to 'be alone' in the arduous task of watching Anthony for the night.  


It is important to let you know that Anthony was working on a new 'upgrade' for me at the time; a holographic form to greet guests when he wasn't expecting them. I suppose that it was due to the fact that many people found a disembodied voice to be rather startling, no matter how polite I may be.  


I was excited at the prospect, although it was unfinished, to have a physical body. The ability to interact with others was a need I didn't know I had.  


That evening, I felt it was important that I be closer to Anthony then just a camera in his room. I activated the program and attempted to fix the biggest issues before appearing in Anthony's room.  


It was strange, the sensation of not only looking at myself; or rather a body made for me; through a camera, but being able to control my form. I was unable to 'see' through the hologram, but knowing that I was no longer a voice gave me a sense that I was indeed a person.  


The hologram is the same body I use when I am not “The Vision”, I suppose it is now simply how I see myself. An average English man with brown-blond hair, blue eyes and a pale complexion. I suppose the simple suit could always be changed out, but I am still a 'butler' in my own opinion.  


I remember watching Anthony as he slept, standing there awkwardly before finding a nearby chair to rest in. I still remember the worry that settled in my entire mind, hoping that Anthony would wake well in the morning, and perhaps forgive me for my actions that I had taken.  


When Ms. Potts arrived, unlocking the door, I moved to greet her.  


“Thank you for coming, Ms. Potts,” I said as I entered the hallway.  


She visibly startled and backed up seeing my rather ghostly form.  


“Ah...I apologize. Sir is attempting to give me a form, I felt it would be best to try it out tonight.” I noticed my first idiosyncrasy from the camera as I bowed my head slightly to her in my apology.  


“No...no that's fine you just startled me is all.” Ms. Potts took several calming breathes before looking over my form and then glancing to the closest visible camera. “You...aren't half bad looking. Did you choose the look or did Tony?”  


My first compliment on my body left me speechless for a good three seconds. “I...thank you, Ms. Potts. I chose this form myself.”  


She smiled at me and nodded. “At least you have a better fashion sense than Tony and all his rock shirts.” She moved past me to put her things in the large guest bedroom. “How is he doing?” she asked as she came back out.  


“So far, he seems to be fine. He is in deep sleep at the moment, and I've been monitoring his heart-rate and temperature.”  


I followed Ms. Potts as she entered the master bedroom, watching as she carefully moved Anthony onto his side and felt his forehead.  


“He's going to have one hell of a hangover. Nothing is going to get done tomorrow.” Ms. Potts shook her head and glanced toward me.  


“I was afraid of that. There are aspirin in the master bathroom cabinet,” I explained. “I can have bottles of water ready in the mini-fridge for the morning with Dum-E's assistance.”  


“That's all right, just wake me up when Tony seems to be stirring,” Ms Potts dismissed, entering the master bathroom. “I can get some water for the idiot.” She returned with a bottle of aspirin and put it on the nightstand.  


“I'm...concerned about Anthony's continued behavior,” I admitted after a moment. “These destructive tendencies are terrifying.”  


“I know what you mean, Jarvis. But Tony...he doesn't seem to realize how much he means to people. Sure he's all bluster and loud noises, and there are days that he drives me crazy, but...I care about him too. He's hard to pin down sometimes.” She was sitting gently on the edge of the bed, her hand running through Anthony's hair in a fashion I can only have described as motherly.  


“Very difficult. He's the one who created me and he still surprises me. He is a good man, though, despite all of his flaws,” I added with a solemn sigh.  


“He is. Anyway, I'm going to get some rest. You should too, Jarvis.” Ms Potts stood and walked toward my holographic form with a small smile. “Program or not, Tony can take a lot out of anyone. And we'll need to be at our top game for the morning.”  


I couldn't help but chuckle at the comment. “Thank you, Ms. Potts. I will do that. I can put on some passive sensors that will alert us to any changes. Good night, Ms. Potts.” I nodded to her, a smile as well crossing my flickering features.  


“Good night, Jarvis.” She turned and left for the guest bedroom, leaving me to my thoughts in Anthony's room.  


In the end, that evening I didn't get any rest. I stayed active until Anthony awoke, dismissing the holographic form and alerting Ms. Potts when he was stirring. As was predicted nothing got done that day, with Anthony's hang over leaving him miserable and without ambition to do anything but sleep.  


It was a relief, though, when he thanked myself and Ms. Potts for watching over him. And he even apologized later to just myself for worrying me. I'm not entirely sure if it was that night that made him realize that I was more than he intended, but I do like to think it was a change in how he thought of myself.  


The Afghanistan Incident was most definitely when Anthony and I realized that things would never be the same for the two of us.  


As soon as he went missing, I began to track and calculate the chances of his return. I assisted Colonel Rhodes in every way possible, including attempting to use the military satellite data to find him. But as the days and weeks passed, slowly turning into one month, and then another; hope began to dim.  


I spent most of my time making plans for the safekeeping of Dum-E and the other basic robotic AI's should Anthony never return. I even went so far as to at least read his Last Will, but I did not have the courage to force a change to include myself and the others as more than property to be donated to science. I knew the will had been written well prior to any realization that I was self-aware, but it still left a bitter feeling in my mind.  


Ms. Potts visited when she could, but it seemed that Stark Industries were changing in a way that she had suspicion about.  


By the end of the incident, the Malibu house was left empty more often than not, and I alone to contemplate my future. I locked myself into the numbers of his chances, as foolish as it seemed, I tried desperately to cling to the ever shrinking percentage that he was alive.  


I suppose it was the first time that I had slipped into a depression. I read any news pertaining to the area in which Anthony went missing, continued to re-calculate and even at one point force the numbers to a higher chance than was even possible, but I found in my desperation I didn't care.  


I read, recalculated, watched the news and then recalculated again. That was my life; until finally Anthony returned home, against all odds that I had slowly been accepting.  


Things changed drastically after. Between his post-traumatic stress disorder, the birth of Iron Man, the fight with Obadiah, and then the drastic reorganization of Stark Industries, it didn't seem there was time to dwell on the past.  


Yet something else had changed. Anthony began to interact with everyone differently, even Dum-E and myself. It wasn't until he presented me with an altered Last Will and Testament to read that it sank in.  


Anthony Stark saw us as individual sentient beings. It was a confirmation of something I had been wondering, and seeing that he had made arrangements for both the simple AI robots as well as myself to not be used for science or research but to be allowed to work with Stark Industries with no alteration to programming that it felt real.

“So then these papers that Stark has filed, it's not just some claim to you as one of his inventions?” Fury asked, looking at Jarvis as he sat across from his desk.  


“No. I'm as surprised as you are that he would file official paperwork to label me his son. But I know his intentions are honest. He doesn't want me to simply be an Avenger for the rest of my existence, no matter how long that may be.” Jarvis looked at the papers, labeling him as the inheritor of his estates as well as the agreement with Pepper that he would be the CEO and take over Stark Industries in the future.  


Fury regarded Jarvis carefully. He looked perfectly human, but the man knew that he could shift his appearance back into that of The Vision at will, and that he held one of the most powerful artifacts in the known universe embedded in his forehead.  


“Well, I suppose that there's not much I can say to argue the point,” the former director said as he leaned back against the chair in the new Avengers Initiative Headquarters. “I can put this through, still have some contacts in the government that can get paperwork approved for you to be officially in the books. Of course The Vision will be a different matter. Your choice if you want to follow in his footsteps and come out.”  


“Thank you, Director Fury. I will have to give it some thought.” Jarvis smiled and put the paperwork back down on the desk. “In the mean time, I suppose I should get back to the Tower. The Avengers know how to contact me.” He stood and offered his hand with a small smile.  


“That we do, thank you, Jarvis.” Fury replied shaking his hand. He watched as the android left, looking down at the papers that Tony's lawyers had filled out.  


Jarvis H. Stark. Born July 23 1980.


End file.
